EML Electrocomp 400/401 Sequencer / Synthesizer System - $7,900 (Western NC)

REDUCED PRICE! Very rare sequencer / synthesizer setup, produced by EML (Electronic Music Laboratory, or ElectroComp).
I remember first seeing one of these demonstrated to me by Dale Blake, one of the founders of EML, in Orlando in 1977, and was just knocked out by it.
Didn't get one until 20 years later though! An amazing machine, with the ability to run 3 separate voltage outputs, and to program rhythms as well.
Has built-in synthesizer, but can also control external C/V synthesizer equipment.
Includes quantizer.
This EML 400/401 is in excellent condition, and was completely gone through by Switched On Austin in 10/2014.
Works perfectly, includes printout of operation manual, schematics and original EML Product Line Brochure.
The wooden cases are missing the closing latches, but that's about it.
Includes the cable to hook the 2 panels together.
Not interested in trades, thanks.
A video of the sequencer in operation can be seen here: https://drive.
google.
com/file/d/1pY51aw1Q9firyU9bFZqzAOUtCTJRngQn/view?usp=sharing Production period: 1970-84 Quantity produced: 300 EML's 400/401 ElectroComp is a rare semi-modular analog synthesizer/sequencer that first appeared in 1970 and although it was produced until 1984, roughly 300 were made.
The synthesizer (401) component can be considered a scaled down version of the EML 500 in some ways.
It looks very similar in color and layout but lacks a built-in keyboard.
It retains patch-cord signal patching and editing associated with modular synths as well as some switches.
Dual VCOs produce a monophonic analog sound which can be shaped by the multimode resonant VCF (filter) with switchable hi, low and band pass filtering.
Only sawtooth, square and noise waveforms are available from the oscillators.
The envelope section offers only attack and release control (the EML 500 envelope section added sustain).
Complementing the EML 401 modular component is the 400 system which is covered with dozens of switches and sliders.
Basically it's an analog sequencer component.
It is a 12-tone diatonic sequencer with a digitally controlled voltage quantizer built-in - a sophisticated feature for the time.
This allows for a variable number of steps-per-octave ranging from 5 to 60.
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a very unusual feature which makes the unit very useful for those exploring alternate/microtonal tunings.
It also offered voltage controlled envelope generators in 16 stages! These could be programmed for creating pretty wild sequences and patterns.
The EML 400 and 401 system was a response to the popular Moog and ARP modulars from the era.
It offered new ways of synthesizing classic analog sounds which may not have been better than its competition, but it certainly was unique.
Today these rare instruments can still be found in use by synth anoraks around the world.
'Following the traditions of Moog, Buchla, and other early synth developers, the EML engineers crafted an analog sequencer that bears little resemblance to today's MIDI sequencers.
'The 400 series sequencer was my baby,' [EML designer, John] Borowicz admits.
'I loved that box.
It was killer.
I'd say that was one of the first hybrids, because it was analog and digital.
One of the problems with analog circuits was tuning the bloody things.
So we built a voltage quantizer, and then ARP jumped on the bandwagon, since they were the big boys on the block.
Our quantizer was basically set up for 12-tone diatonic, but you could tune it to play microtones too, and it would still maintain its quantizing feature, which was pretty hip.
''It also had voltage-controlled envelope generators, which as far as I know was a first, too.
You could patch that thing, load it up in increments of 16 stages, and the control voltages could be either locked in - quantized - or you could set it to be variable, either way.
By patching, you could get the thing to do retrograde permutations: It would go through a sequence as you programmed it with all the rhythm, and then you could start to do permutations by jumping around in a very progammatic fashion to different stages.
It could go through stages 1-16, and then 1, 15, 2, 14, 3, 12, and so on.
You could line up the patterns however you wanted.
That was an amazing little box.
''It also had a voice module with it, the 401, which was basically a scaled-down 500: dual oscillators with switch-selectable waveforms, a multimode filter, and the voltage-controlled envelope generators.
At that point, you only had AR (attack/release) envelopes, but you could get multiple stages by gating the voltage correctly.
'' Use this as a stand alone synth-sequencer or use it with other CV gate synths like ARP Moog Sequential Circuits and others.
The quantized output may not play proper quantized pitches on your synth from another manufacturer since EML was "nonstandard" but the voltages should still be very useful in any modular synth studio.
The beauty of an analog sequencer is that it has knobs you can adjust for the different pitches of your sequence.
Each of these knobs puts out a different voltage, which is then routed to your oscillator/s to determine pitch.
Similarly, on some analogue sequencer like this one, you can take these voltages and patch them into certain jacks on other synths which allow for voltage control.
Common inputs allowing control are filter pedal and volume pedal ins, though most analog modular synths have lots of inputs like these for controlling a number of parameters.
Use it to make complex modular analog synth sequences, arpeggios, rhythmic loops, etc.
This Electro-comp sequencer is way better than the ARP sequencer.
It has a whopping SIX rows of 16 faders, each of which can be used to control parameters on the internal synth or any compatible external synthesizer.
You will notice that the left side (or sequencer control section) has two columns of 3 rows of 16 faders.
These two columns can provide two different sequences (up to 16 steps each) running in parallel with one another or running in series as one a massive 32 step sequence.
Each side can be set to a different number of steps and can run simultaneously.
The top row of faders can be used to control the clock tempo or length of the envelope settings.
The middle row can output a quantized voltage so there is no need to stand there all day to fine tune each step to play exactly the pitch you want - the quantizer takes care of that and only plays the notes, not the in betweens! The bottom row has a feature called gated pulse.
Whenever a fader in this row is above 20% of its range, a gated pulse is sent out the jack below.
This can be used to fire off envelope generators, etc.
Pretty cool, huh? All 3 rows mentioned can alternatively each put out a non-quantized voltage used for controlling any voltage controlled parameter, internal or external to this system.
Compare this to the Arp sequencer which has only 16 faders total, and is going for $2500-3000 each! And includes the EML 500 synthesizer voice as well - EML 500 is currently listed on Reverb for $6500 alone! The EML400 / EML401 clock can be driven by an external trigger such as those provided by the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines or similar.
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This will allow you to synchronize the sequencer with a number of other devices, including some equipped with MIDI.
We havent tried audio signals though the right short triggered sample might do the trick.
The synthesizer section has 2 oscillators, a multimode filter (lowpass, bandpass and highpass), an envelope generator and a very effective ring modulator / amplitude modulator.
You can patch an external signal into the filter along with the oscillators (and mute the osc's too if you wish), and can modulate the filter cutoff and pitch with external voltages.
The quantizer voltage is applied to a vertical row of red and green LEDs on the left side of the right 1/2 of this unit.
As the sequence advances its step while it plays a pattern, the lights jump to the pitch being played.
This allows you to visualize your melodies.